With 2010 Census questionnaires set to arrive in mailboxes across the country by mid-March, 84% of Hispanics intend to be counted this year and are confident that personal information collected won't be shared with other government organizations, according to a survey from Telemundo and Ipsos Public Affairs.
Nearly nine in ten Hispanics (88%) agree it is important that everyone living in the US be counted in the 2010 Census, including 70% who completely agree.
In addition, 86% agree it is important for their community that everyone take part in the Census, including 69% who completely agree. Some 81% agree it is their duty to do so, including 64% who completely agree.
Hispanics' attitudes about the importance of the 2010 Census largely mirror those of the general US population. However, opinions diverge regarding the sharing of personal information.
Hispanics Trust that Information Will Not Be Shared
More than half of Hispanics surveyed (57%) say they are confident that personal information collected in the 2010 Census will not be shared with other government organizations, compared with 51% of all US adults.
Hispanics who prefer Spanish-language TV are more likely than those who prefer English-language programming to be confident that their personal information will not be shared (42% completely agree vs. 31%).
Looking for real, hard data that can help you match social media tools and tactics to your marketing goals? The State of Social Media Marketing, a 240-page original research report from MarketingProfs, gives you the inside scoop on how 5,140 marketing pros are using social media to create winning campaigns, measure ROI, and reach audiences in new and exciting ways.
More Familiarity Is Needed
Nearly one in five Hispanics (18%) say they have never heard of the Census, compared with 11% of the general US population. Meanwhile, 52% of Hispanics know about the Census (either "a little" or "a lot"), compared with 65% of the US public at large.
Among Hispanics and the general US population, older adults tend to be more knowledgeable about the Census than adults under 35: 18% of Hispanics age 35+ say they know a lot about the Census compared with just 8% of those age 18-34. Over one in five US adults age 35+ (22%) say that they know a lot about the Census, while just 13% of younger adults say the same.
Non-Responding Households Costly to Census
Improving awareness about the Census saves money: For every percentage point increase in the 2010 Census mail-back response rate, the Census Bureau saves $85 million in follow-up with non-responding households, according to US Census Bureau News.
On January 14, 2009, the US Census Bureau launched a $133 million national advertising campaign to increase participation rates, especially among hard-to-count populations.
The outreach ad campaign is extensive and diverse, with advertisements appearing in 28 languages.
About the data: The findings among Hispanics are based on an Ipsos-Telemundo poll conducted from Nov. 19, 2009 to Jan. 10, 2010 with a nationally representative sample of 530 Hispanics age 18+, interviewed by telephone via Ipsos's US Hispanic Omnibus.
